On Feb. 20, 2009, Missouri’s Department of Public Safety issued a report to all law enforcement in the state entitled “Missouri Information Analysis Center Strategic Report: The Modern Militia Movement.”

The report linked people holding conservative views on immigration, abortion, the U.N., the New World Order, etc., to dangerous and violent “militias” that Missouri law enforcement were instructed to be on guard against. Conservative opinions were demonized and made the subject of law enforcement scrutiny.

The report was leaked. National and state public reaction was strong and negative, and Missouri retracted the report and apologized.

This victory was short lived. The substance of the report is back, this time distributed to “federal, state, local, and tribal counterterrorism and law enforcement officials …” by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as an “assessment” dated April 7, 2009, entitled “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment.”

The assessment states it was “prepared by the Extremism and Radicalization Branch, Homeland Environment Threat Analysis Division” and “coordinated with the FBI.”

It admits that “The DHS/Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) has no specific information that domestic right wing terrorists are currently planning acts of violence.” Nonetheless, it states that “right wing extremists may be gaining new recruits by playing on their fears about … the economic downturn and the election of the first African-American President …”

The report elaborates that …”right wing extremists are antagonistic toward the new presidential administration and its perceived stance on a range of issues, including immigration and citizenship, the expansion of social programs to minorities, and restrictions on firearms and use.”

So, if you disagree with Obama on amnesty for illegals or stand up for the Second Amendment, you are branded a “rightwing extremist” by the Department of Homeland Security and become the subject of scrutiny by some 850,000 local and state law enforcement personnel.

The assessment goes on to link concerns about the economy, and the stockpiling of emergency food supplies and weapons and ammunition to violent militias and extremist “rightwing” groups. In my state of California, the state government urges all citizens to keep emergency food supplies in case of earthquake. And who isn’t concerned about the economy?

Most disgusting of all, it targets veterans for increased law enforcement scrutiny.

“Returning veterans possess combat skills and experience that are attractive to rightwing extremists. DHS/I&A is concerned that rightwing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order to boost their violent capabilities.”

What’s the evidence for this? None. The assessment admits that membership in “rightwing extremist” groups is in decline and asserts that no increase in such violence has been detected. But it might happen. So “intense scrutiny” is advised as the “DHS/I&A will be working with its state and local partners over the next few months to ascertain with greater regional specificity the rise of rightwing extremist activity in the United States …”

This report smacks of profiling and harassing American citizens based on their political views, and specifically based on their opposition to the Obama administration’s proposals.

This used to be called “democracy” and “free speech” protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution. But under Obama, “Homeland Security” has become an instrument of oppression of opposing points of view.